Watohcase



J. M.'.DURAND.

Watch Cae. No. 20,554. Patented June15, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

J. M. DURAND, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

wATcHcAsE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,554, dated June 15, 1858.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES M. DURAND, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new' and useful Improvements in what are tknown as Magic Watchcases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, represents in perspective, the manner of uniting the inner and outer cases,

and the close and open bezels in their position. Fig. 2, represents a horizontal section through the inner and outer cases. Fig. 3, represents the position of the dial when arranged as a hunting watch. Fig. 4, represents the position of the dial when arranged resent on a larger scale some of the parts not so distinctly seen in the other figures from their smallness of dimensions.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the several figures denote like parts of the watch in all of them.

In the construction of what are termed magic watch cases, as heretofore practiced, there are several defects which render them objectionable, among the more prominent of which may be mentioned that of being required to have both bezels opened before the inner case could be turned round ;having two pivoted points ;and not. affording a sufficient support of the inner in the outer case which causes said inner case to spring open, the bezels, or prevent them from closing on the outer case with certainty and neatness.

The object of my invention is to overcome all these defects, and I have accomplished it in a manner that will be hereafter described.

The nature of my invention consists in pivoting the inner case to the outer one, and

so hinging the two together in connection with the pivot, as that the inner case may be raised up on its hinge, and then turned around on its pivot to change the dial from one side to the other, to make a hunting or -openfaced watch, as may be desired, and by which means, I use but one turning point instead of two. I open but one bezel instead of both, and have a more permanent support of the inner in the outer case, and thus al low the bezels to fit better and closer on the outer frame than by the plans heretofore essayed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A, represents the outer, and B, the inner case of a watch the two being hinged and pivoted together at a, as will be explained hereafter.

C, is a closed bezel, and D, an open one, bot-l1 hinged in the common. way to the outer case A.

E, is the pendant it is fastened to the outer case A, in the usual manner.

At the hinge where the open bezel D, is hinged to the outer case, I connect a block 0 (Fig. 7) and allow the pin that forms the shaft or journal of the hinge to pass through the hole e, in said blockthis will admit the block to play on said hinge joint. A screw f, having a shank 2', is then passed through the inner case B, and into the block 0, so that the case B, may turn on said shank 2', but at the same time be held to the hinge joint by the block 0. It is evident from this connection that the inner case can be raised up on its hinge, then turned over on its pivot, and the dial changed from one bezel to the other, as may be requiredand this too without raising but one bezelthe inner case as in an ordinary watch being first raised up on its hinge, a sufficient height to allow it to be turned over, as stated.

There is a slightly projecting belt m on the perimeter of the inner case, which when said case is let down in the outer one finds a bearing upon a delicate ledge on the inner perimeter of the outer case Aand when on its seat, the spring latch n, (Fig. 6) enters, a suitable catch in the inner case, and thus the two cases are firmly held together, and the inner case cannot interfere with the closing of the bezels.

The inner case, as is usual contains the watch mechanism, and has one dial-face, and one closed face. It is hinged to the outer case at a point midway between the figures VII and VIII, so that when used as a hunting watch, as shown in Fig. 3, the figure XII, shall be at the top, and at right angles to the pendent. And when the inner case is turned over as seen in Fig. 4, to form an open faced watch the figure XII, shall be at the pendent-placing the hinge at the point above indicated brings the XII mark in the proper position for either change.

I have represented the hinge and pivot, by which the inner is secured to the outer case, as being connected to, or a part of, the hingef by which the open bezel D, is secured to said outer case, but I do not confine my invention" to this special locality. So long as the innerI case is hinged and pivoted to the outer one, for the purpose specified I should deem it my invention. I have described a pivot simply as a turning point, but do not confine myself to that device, as a ball and socket,

JAMES M. DURAND.

lNitnesses v JAMES I. CARTER HENRY DURAND. 

